Forgive, Forget, Hope
by Elizab3thBlack
Summary: Lyall and Tonks meet for the first time. Tonks learns a bit more about the boy and forgives him. Set after Simple in the Moonlight and or Thrice Created.
1. That Boy's Face

**That Boy's Face**

It was busy and buzzing with activity, like it was almost every day in Diagon alley. The trip was to just be a quick one but like every time they escaped their cavern-like abode from their taxing jobs, they relished in the free time.

She was a bright and bubbly sight to behold. Every inch of her glowed with laughter and love, he smiled at her energy, feeling its heavenly effects on his own weary soul.

She pulled him over to a window and smiled, they couldn't afford much, but she still enjoyed her window shopping.

Suddenly she pulled away from him feeling something very foreign, smelling something very familiar, yet alien. She felt her eyes change back to their blue and without realizing it her face curled into a sneer.

Remus turned to her with a concerned look on his face. "Dora?" He asked gently putting a hand smoothly on her shoulder. It was then that he caught it too. He squeezed her shoulder sharply hoping to coax her out of her daze.

It didn't work, her eyes found what was causing such feelings and she nearly was off in a flash.

Before Remus could stop her she was gone. He knew he had to hurry after her; he needed to protect both of them. Lyall _and_ Dora.

The poor boy wasn't even moving, just staring into her face as she stalked over to him. It was like he was frozen, watching his fate charge towards him.

By the time she was in front of him, however, Remus had managed to catch up and stopped her short of actually harming the boy.

She struggled fruitfully before going limp, though anger was still plastered on her face. Remus had a slight lift on his face and nodded at the frightened boy, who looked as if his face had gone utterly pale. "Lyall." Remus said quietly and the boy responded by swallowing nervously.

The three werewolves stood amongst the active throes of normal people, each with a different expression on their face.


	2. Like Me

**Like Me**

Remus was the one who finally decided to speak up. "Dora, I know your upset, and I want to deal with that. But this is not a good place…" She snorted crossing her arms, but she nodded reluctantly. Remus smiled slightly but turned to the frightened young man. "Lyall, I would very much like it if you joined us for an interview…" The young man's face never left Tonks' but he nodded, slowly as well. Remus let out a sigh and turned back to his wife.

"Tonks, apparate home. I'll follow shortly with Lyall." Tonks glared at Remus as though the idea of Lyall in their home utterly disgusted her, but she nodded anyway, pulling out her wand and disappearing with a snap.

Remus turned to the boy once she was gone and tried to give him a reassuring smile, but the poor thing was so pale and dismayed that he wasn't sure he'd seen it. Gently he placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly, getting the boy's attention.

"Lyall, grab my arm, alright?" Remus kept his voice light, hoping to keep him calm. Lyall only stared up at him. As Remus was about to repeat himself Lyall spoke up.

"Maybe I should just…go. I shouldn't have come here…but I was curious…a man…he told me about wizards…witches…and then when I went into that hospital…I wanted to see magic. But I should have realized…you _are_ magic, you'd be here. I don't. I don't want to hurt her any longer." Lyall tried to turn away but Remus held fast.

"No, Lyall. She's just angry. Talk to her, or just listen to her, she hasn't really gotten to vent. She knows you're not bad; she just needs to sort that out with you. And maybe…it'll help you heal too…"

Lyall gave Remus an incredulous look but slowly nodded. "Alright. But only because I want her to feel better…I've done enough to harm her, I suppose I deserve whatever she may say…"

Remus smiled at that, recognizing how much the boy was like he had been. "Grab my arm." He said to him then, and Lyall gradually obliged. "And ignore the squashing sensation; just don't let go, alright?"

Lyall nodded and scrunched his eyes closed as Remus apparated them out of Diagon Alley.


	3. Forgive, Forget, Hope

**Forgive, Forget, Hope**

Lyall shook off the strange sensation of apparation as he let go of Remus' arm. In front of him was a small little cottage nestled among the trees. It was the perfect place of tranquility. The idea of this being their home brought tears to his eyes.

"Lyall?" Remus looked down at the younger man, a concerned look on his face. "Are you alright?"

Lyall nodded, loosely crossing his arms. It suddenly dawned on him; he didn't know the older man's name. "What's your name?" He asked quietly, shuffling on his unsure feet.

"Remus Lupin." He said smiling a little. "And my wife's name is Nymphadora Lupin…though I suggest you call her Tonks."

"Tonks?"

"Her maiden name…"

Lyall, again, nodded slowly, his arms still crossed.

"Shall we head in then?" Remus tilted his head in the direction of the house and as Lyall nodded they both began walking up the cobbled path to the quaint cottage. As the two reached the entry-way, Lyall was amazed to find an intricate design carved in the door. However, he didn't really get to study it as Remus opened it quietly.

"Dora?" He called out in a calming voice. Lyall was becoming more and more impressed by Remus' nature. Up until very recently he had only met werewolves of evil dispositions; it had been a depressing reality to him that it seemed he would end up the same way. But there was a man who was the exact opposite; it gave him hope that he wouldn't become the cruel creature that he'd constantly met.

His trail of thought was ended when from a room on the right he heard the woman named Tonks call out in response. "Here Remus…" Her voice was cold, but didn't sound nearly as angry as it had in Diagon Alley.

Remus smiled down at Lyall and started heading towards where she'd called out. Timidly the young man followed, he wanted to look around, having not been inside a house for quite some time, but he felt rude, guilty even, for even being invited there.

Staring at the floor so intently he only just managed to not run into Remus as he stopped in a quaint sitting room; there were quite a few bookshelves, bursting at the seams with books, Lyall stared at them longingly, for he hadn't held or read a book for longer then the last time he'd been in a house. Three chairs and a desk were arranged in the room, and it had a feeling of an intellect to it, Lyall knew immediately this was Remus' room.

Tonks, as Remus had told him to call her, was standing next to one of the chairs, her lips tightly shut, and a look of resentment on her face. Lyall's face dropped slightly, fearing the worst, and Remus immediately went to break the tension.

"Tonks this is Lyall, Lyall…" He paused and turned to the young man, realizing he didn't know his surname.

"Lyall Woolfe." He replied faintly, looking again at the ground.

There was complete silence for a moment before feminine laughter rang out.

"Woolfe…are you serious!"

Lyall, surprised, looked up to find a completely different woman standing where Tonks had just been. She looked very similar, but Tonks had had brown hair, this woman most definitely had bright purple.

He gasped and took a step back, almost tripping over a rug he hadn't noticed when he'd first walked in. Remus' arm, however, shot out and caught him, causing the new woman to laugh even harder.

"I probably should have warned you. Nymphadora…"

"Tonks!"

Remus just smiled, "is a metamorphamagus."

"Metamorpha—what?" Lyall's head was spinning.

"Metamorphamagi, I can change my appearance at will." And if to help him understand she changed her face to his and then back to the girl with purple hair, although shorter.

Lyall was very pale, and Remus had a feeling he knew exactly what Lyall was going through. So, very gently, he guided Lyall over to an armchair and helped him sit down.

"Dora, I'll go make some tea…" He said after Lyall was seated, and without another word he left the room, leaving the two of them very much alone.

For a moment Tonks continued standing but she began to fidget and so quickly sat down in the chair across from him. They were both eerily quiet. Lyall had fully expected yelling or at least angry words but not silence. Finally she did turn to him.

"So Lyall, right?" She asked quietly, staring at him intently.

He nodded, "Tonks," he replied to her.

She gave him a faint smile. "Yah."

They became quiet again; Tonks began to fidget again with her fingers. He stared at them, his anxious eyes seeing them and yet not. Suddenly she stopped and laughed quietly. Lyall confused and surprised by it turned to look up at her.

"Lyall Woolfe, is that _really_your name?"

He nodded, smiling sheepishly.

She laughed again. "And I thought Remus Lupin was bad…but 'Woolfe', seriously…"

Lyall wasn't sure how to respond so just sat quietly, a look of perplexed amusement on his face.

"How old are you?" She asked suddenly.

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen? You're just a baby…" She looked thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "When were, what I mean is, how old…you know, how old were you when…well…"

"When I was bitten?" He asked helpfully, his body stoic. She nodded looking at the floor. "I was eight. I had been playing out in the field my parents owned and it—he attacked me. Got hold of my arm; I remember hardly being able to breathe…" Lyall went quiet again, cupping his hands tightly.

Tonks leaned to the edge of her seat to clasp his hands. Though she had been so anger with him, the look in his tired eyes, his sad but strong posture; his horrible life reflecting in his voice, she was on the verge of forgiving him, without having to say a word; but there was one thing that she needed before it could happen.

"Why?"

Lyall looked up at the blue eyes of the woman in front of him. There was a weary strength staring back at her, something she recognized from another werewolf she knew intimately.

"Why did this…this happen?" She wasn't exactly sure how to ask the question, she saw in him insecurity, and didn't want to scare him or guilt him into leaving. The utter sadness (and beyond mildly passing likeness to Remus) caused her to forgive him fully.

His was ashamed, but with her own forgiving eyes, he stayed put and barely above a whisper, "I have _always_tried to stay as far into the woods that I can during full…full…" he couldn't say it…

"Full moons." She, instead, finished for him.

He nodded slightly. "Yes. I try to keep away from people, but apparently…"

She couldn't let him say it was his fault, he had done everything a fifteen year old child _could_do, he hadn't failed, and she wasn't going to let him think that. So without a thought she was out of her chair wrapping her arms tightly around him. Holding him closely, trying to get across that she forgave him for what happened.

Lyall was taken aback. He hadn't had any sort of intimate touch since he was eight. But it felt nice. He didn't pull away, even if he didn't deserve the kindness she was showing him, he felt too selfish to pull away; although he did begin silently crying. He had bitten her, changed her, and yet she forgave him, when he couldn't even forgive himself.

Remus was wrong, it didn't help him heal himself, but it did make the burden easier to bear. And that, for the moment, was enough to give him hope.


End file.
